


Trapped

by ItsAdrien



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Character Turned Into a Ghost, Drunken Confessions, Fluff and Angst, Love Confessions, M/M, Magic, Mild Language, Not Beta Read, Spirits, Supernatural Elements, Teasing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-21
Updated: 2018-04-21
Packaged: 2019-04-26 01:10:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14391009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsAdrien/pseuds/ItsAdrien
Summary: In a freak magic accident,  Faeren gets himself stuck in the spirit realm. He only has a day to get back, and the key to his return? The biggest fuck up in all of vesuvia- Julian Devorak. This is going to be fun





	Trapped

**Author's Note:**

> This was literally based off a dream I had. Faeren is my mc for the arcana, if you'd like to know more about him shoot me an ask to my tumblr: bloodroot-tea :D

The first thing Faeren notices when he wakes up is one thing. He's incredibly cold. Then he notices the people surrounding him, people in varying periods of fashion.

"How did that one get here?" One whispered.

"I don't know dear, it's odd seeing a living here." Another responded.

They all looked so pale, their eyes were so glossy. They all looked very... dead. They were spirits. He was seeing spirits. That meant one thing, he was in the spirit world.

And that's when Faeren began to panic. He scrambled up to his feet, putting his back to the wall as his chest heaved heavily. How did he even end up here? All he remembers is preparing a ritual for a customer. A spell that... let's one speak with the dead. Damn it, he must've messed something up!

"What the HELL is going on?" Faeren demanded, eyes darting across the ghastly faces surrounding him. 

"Calm down sweetie, we're sure that everything is okay, you just... had a bit of an accident!" A soft, motherly voice spoke to him. It belonged to a spirit who looked like an old handmaiden. 

"Am I dead? Please tell me I'm not dead. I-I can't be dead!" Faeren was nearing a panic attack at this point.

"Oh no you're not dead, not.. not quite." The same spirit from before answered him, gesturing to... well him. Though it wasn't quite himself. She was gesturing to a figure on the ground, splayed out in an odd fashion. It was his body wasn't it?

"It appears you managed you eject your soul. But technically your body is still living. As of right now, you're in a deep sleep like state." The motherly spirit explained, causing Faeren to rub at his temples. This was too much.

"A coma. Julian said its called a coma-" 

Oh no. 

Oh god Julian is gonna freak out. This has got to be the worst day of his life.

In a frantic state, Faeren ran to the motherly spirit, grabbing her by the shoulders with wild eyes. 

"Please, there has to be a way to get back. I need to get back. Julian he- he's gonna freak out." Faeren pleaded, sounding like a raving mad man.

"I- y-yes there is a... a way but it's very difficult-" She started, only to be sharply cut off by Faeren

"How?!"

"So-someone who truly loves you has to say that they want you back by the next morning." She quickly explained. Faeren dropped his hands and turned his back to the woman. He needed to think.

So he had to get Julian to say that he wanted him back in the living world? Seems easy. Its Julian, he's the biggest drama queen in Vesuvia. He bets that once he sees him lying on the floor he'll say it. But on the other hand, knowing Julian he'll try to drink himself into a coma to avoid dealing with the emotional stress. The bastard. 

For now, all that Faeren could do was wait. Julian is supposed to meet him here in an hour to help with spell work, but more than likely he's going to show up early. Every time Faeren asks for help Julian shows up early simply so they can "have some fun." Nows not the time to think about that though, Faeren needs to concern himself with getting making sure that Julian doesn't get completely wasted and ruin his chances at going back into his body. 

"Oh Faeren! Guess who showed up early?" A loud, boisterous voice called in a sing song voice. Oh god he was already here. 

"Shit. Is there any way I can talk to him?" Faeren questioned.

"Not without that spell you were performing earlier." The motherly spirit replied.

Damn it. This was going to be harder than he thought. 

"Faeren? Where are you?" Julian called out, his footsteps nearing the stairs to where Faeren was. This is not going to end well, he can already tell. When the foot steps stopped at the top of the stairs, he turned his head to see Julian looking shocked, eyes directly on the sleeping body of Faeren. Immediately Julian bolted over to his side, kneeling so he could pick him up to look him over. But oddly, Faeren could feel the cool touch of Julian's gloves on the skin of his hip despite his incorporeal state. And he felt the leather on his neck when Julian was checking for a pulse.

"Shit.... damn it Fae what did you do?" Julian cursed under his breath. "This must be a magic thing, where's Asra when you need him?"

Okay a better response than what he was expecting from Julian. Only problem was, Asra was out. More than likely he wouldn't be back until next week. But of course Julian wouldn't know that. Faeren sighed, placing his hand on Julian's shoulder. It got no response besides a slight turn of the head. That's when it really hit for Faeren. Unless he could get Julian to admit that he wanted him alive, they couldn't touch anymore. He wouldn't ever be able to comfort Julian, to feel him nuzzle against his hand as Faeren ran his hand through Julian's hair. And it terrified him. 

"Julian..." Faeren said, but trailed off. He didn't know what to say. And even if he did it wouldn't matter anyways. Julian can't hear him. 

"Okay... let's uh.. first get you somewhere comfortable. Yeah. You'd kill me if you woke up with a sore back again." Julian rambled, speaking mainly to himself. Oh that was absolutely adorable. Did he always do that when Faeren slept?

Faeren followed Julian as he carried his practically limp body to his room. It was odd. He felt everything that he would feel if he were in his body. But it was comforting. When he was set down, he felt the slight brush of Julian's finger moving hair obstructing his eye. The cool leather cupped the side of his face, thumb gently rubbing his cheek.

"As beautiful as you look sleeping, I wish you'd be awake." Julian commented, a weak smile on his face. "I was going to tell you about the time I had to seduce a prince to avoid being beheaded." 

Always with his stories huh? And he was so close to saying the right thing. 

"God I need a drink... don't go anywhere okay?" He muttered under his breath, getting up from the side of his bed and heading downstairs. Damn it Julian! Faeren gave an annoyed groan, quickly following after him. Damn it he needs to stop this! Every time there's a problem he doesn't like he has to drink huh?

Faeren followed him downstairs, trying to stop him the entire way but it wasn't like Julian could feel or hear him. At this point it was just so he could say he tried. Why did he have to love someone who was so smart yet so dumb?

"Damn it, don't just leave without locking up the shop." Faeren muttered. 

Julian stopped in his tracks, taking a deep breath. Did he hear that? Julian turned around, taking a few seconds to lock up shop in his own way, muttering something about how he can almost hear Faeren's voice scolding him for not locking up shop. So he could hear him? But to him it was like his imagination. Good. He can have some fun with that. Or actually get something done so he's not a fucking ghost forever. Nah he's gonna have some fun. There's nothing street urchins love more than messing with people, and once an urchin always an urchin.

"Julian, don't you think the Rowdy Raven would be a good place to head to? Plenty of guys to mess with." Faeren suggested, right next to his ear. And sure enough, Julian started heading towards their favorite bar. Oh this was going to be too much fun.

The two of them, whenever they had free time would hang out at the Rowdy Raven. More than likely starting bar fights. It was the most romantic thing they did together. Dates weren't a thing for people like them, instead they caused all the havoc they could. And afterwards they made out in a back alley. It was incredibly exhilarating.

Faeren followed him until a certain point, feeling himself run into some sort of wall. What??? He was only 20 feet from the shop! He thought that spirits could to further than that! This was a load of bullshit, he was stuck in some ghost world and couldn't even have much fun while he was there! Not to mention god knows when Julian will be back from the bar. This day sure just goes from bad to worse huh? He wants to see Julian get in a fist fight! He gave an annoyed groan, pointing at Julian and muttering "you better be back before midnight" and turning back home. This day was a disaster.

Now he doesn't know what to do. Normally Faeren would find a random alleyway and eat a rat to freak out some kids but there's no one to see him right now. Might as well hang out at the shop. As it's the only place he can fuckin be right now. God he really regrets doing that spell now. 

Throughout the time he waited, Faeren found out many interesting things. For one, if he wanted to Faeren could see and speak with the spirits of the shop once he enters his body again. Second, most of the spirits in the shop were actually magic users themselves, besides a pair of twins. They succumbed to plague too young. Faeren will have to ask Asra about them when he gets back. A last thing he learned was that when Faeren was asleep, Julian would sing to him. And it wasn't the loud, dramatic and over the top singing he was used to. It was soft, incredibly soft. Like if Julian sang any louder Faeren would wake. Oh he's 100% going to tease him about this later. 

It was after hours of talking with the spirits of the shop that he heard the front door swing open, the uneven steps of what was probably Julian stumbling through the shop. And of course, there was the drunken singing.

"CAAAaaaaAAAn you FEEEEL thE lOOOOOOve TONIGHT" What in god's name was he singing? He sounded like a yowling cat. 

"Christ how much did you fucking drink?" Faeren criticized, looking down the stairs to see Julian, the human disaster himself. At this point, his white shirt was barely on and his hair looked like a tousled and greasy mess. Not to mention the redness on his face. He was struggling to even stand on his own, stumbling awkwardly towards the stairs. God this was not the state that Faeren wanted him in. 

By some miracle, Julian managed to make it up the stairs and to Faeren's room unscathed, only with a few close calls to show forth. Julian knelt beside the bed Faeren's body was on, taking a deep breath before running a hand through Faeren's hair. 

"You know, it's strange. Drinking without you feels wrong. Like I'm cheating on you." Julian said with a weak chuckle. "If you were awake you'd tell me I sounded like a dumbass, wouldn't you?"

"Eh you're probably right. I'm a huge hypocrite." Faeren responded, leaning on the wall next to his bed to look at Julian. God he really was an absolute wreck.

"I wish you'd wake up... I know its only been a few hours but what can I say? I'm clingy. And I..." Julian started, taking another deep breath and hanging his head. "I need you with me. I'm a weak man Faeren, and you... help me. You keep me stable." Finally

Faeren gave a small smile, stepping over to his sleeping form. He gave a small wave to one of the spirits before entering his body again. He'll see them again soon. His eyes slowly fluttered open, looking over to see Julian hanging his head. Thank god it worked. 

"I never knew you were so sappy Jules." Faeren teased, a wicked smile forming seeing Julian's head snap up to look at him.

"Faeren! I- did I just do magic?" Julian asked, clearly confused. It hadn't hit him yet that he was okay obviously.

Faeren sat up from his spot, his hand reaching forward to run through Julian's messy red locks. "You're lucky you said something when you did, I might've been trapped as a ghost forever" 

Julian looked damn near about to cry. He leaned over and tightly hugged Faeren, burying his face in his neck. Faeren was honestly shocked at the gesture. This isn't... something Julian would usually do. And when he felt tears against his neck he knew that something definitely wasn't right. 

"Jules?" Faeren asked gently, one of his hands coming up to rub his back.

"Don't... don't ever do something like that again. I can't lose you. I'm not... I can't handle something like that." Julian murmured. He grabbed at the back of Faeren's shirt tightly, as if to keep him here with him.

"Hey, I'm not going anywhere you big sap. What would I do without my partner in crime?" Faeren told him with a softer smile on his face this time. So Julian really did love him huh?

Julian pried himself from his neck, lifting a hand up to gently caress Faeren's face. Faeren leaned into the touch with need. He missed being able to actually communicate with him. Faeren lifted up a hand to hold Julian's against his face, tears pricking the edge of his own eyes. Julian leaned forward, gently pressing their lips together. For once, there was no fierce emotion behind it. No hunger or lust, just pure love. After a moment, Julian pulled back, looking Faeren in the eyes. He then opened his mouth to say three words he thought would never be spoken.

"I love you."

The confession shook Faeren, almost too intensely. Up until now, their relationship was a purely physical one. Any other emotions went unspoken. To actually hear those words directed at him? It was an alien experience. 

"I... I love you too, Julian." Faeren replied, his voice a bit shakey. 

Julian gave a genuine smile, one that absolutely beamed with happiness. This was the start of something new for them both. Faeren was never a romantic, but he guessed he can make an exception for Julian.


End file.
